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HD exclusive for Makita now?

08-20-2008, 08:49 PM

I've recently heard that HD is now the exclusive national retailer in the U.S. (and Canada also, I believe) for Milwaukee power tools now. Well, I now see a logo near the bottom of some search pages on HD's webpage that they are now also the exclusive national retailer for Makita. Is this accurate? When did this happen? Seems like HD must be shopping for these big exclusivity deals - it's going to be interesting once this is all said and done as to what is left to sell in other stores (like Lowes, besides their Kobalt stuff).

Comment

Makita and Milwaukee are sold through many different distributors, just no longer Lowe's. I can't imagine they would ever go exclusively to HD if they intend to keep their professional customers happy. Consumer brands like Kobalt and Ryobi are however exclusively sold through Lowes & HD.

Comment

If Makita, Milwaukee and any other professional brand did go only for one big box dealer, they would be totally screwing over the serious tool dealers and distributors. You best believe they would seek and get revenge on them. Us tool users - buyers would get back at them too. We do not like buying from HOGS.

For what it's worth Hitachi doesn't and best not only sell through Lowes. Lowes would never go full line. Home Depot only has a tiny bit of what Makita and Milwaukee made. As for Milwaukee I can't even dream of some of the products in a big box store. An example would be their magnetic base drilling machines or any of the tooling for them.

Comment

Well guys.... I think it's unofficially, official. Milwaukee and Makita has whored out to H.D. as just this past week, both lines were clearanced out at all Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) stores, which is owned by Sears. I have not seen any of the two lines in Sears for quite some time either. I was talking to a tool buyer from OSH today and he told me that their (OSH) corporate office instructed them to dump Milwaukee and Makita as they were no longer going to be carrying the lines. I was in my local Ace Hardware Store tonite and found no Makita tools; just a few accessories which were being clearanced out and just a couple of the corded Milwaukee tools (Hole Hawg, Hole Shooter and Sawzall). If Milwaukee and Makita have decided to go this route; they have bascically shot themselves in the foot as this creates a problem for those of us that have Milwaukee and Makita tools and detest H.D. Big FAIL for both brands...... As far as Porter Cable goes; I wouldn't touch their cordless stuff with a 10' pole. It's just repackaged B&D/DeWalt. Their corded stuff is still ok but when B&D/DeWalt purchased Porter Cable and Delta, both lines took a dump.